Ocean carriers alter Asia-U.S. loops for winter ‘slack season’

The ZIM operated Seven Star Service between Asia and the U.S. East Coast will be suspended for the winter slack season, but the Israeli carrier will join the G6 Alliance’s SVS on the trade as a vessel provider, dubbing it the Seven Star Winter Service.    Israeli ocean carrier ZIM will be suspending its Seven Star Service (Z7S) between Asia and the U.S. East Coast for the winter “slack season” from November 2016 through April 2017, the carrier said Wednesday.
   Two other Asia-U.S. East Coast loops will also be undergoing changes. ZIM will be joining the G6 Alliance’s SVS as a vessel provider, dubbing it the ZIM Seven Star Winter Service (Z7W), while the G6 Alliance’s CEC loop, which ZIM purchases slots on, will add a call at Da Chan Bay.
   The last eastbound sailing of the Z7S will be with the Bellavia, ETA Da Chan Bay Oct. 30, ZIM said. The Z7S operates with 11 vessels with an average capacity of 5,930 TEUs and a rotation of Da Chan Bay, Yantian, Cai Mep, Port Kelang, Colombo, New York, Norfolk, Savannah, Kingston, Port Kelang and Da Chan Bay, according to ocean carrier schedule and capacity database BlueWater Reporting.
   Hyundai, MOL, NYK and OOCL purchase slots on the loop, but only ZIM calls the Caribbean, according to BlueWater Reporting.
   ZIM’s most recent online service schedules show it will be joining the G6 Alliance’s SVS with the Nov. 5 sailing of the OOCL Atlanta from Hong Kong.
   The loop currently has a rotation of Hong Kong, Yantian, Cai Mep, Singapore, Norfolk, Savannah, Jacksonville, Charleston, Colombo, Singapore and Hong Kong. BlueWater Reporting shows the SVS currently operates with 11 vessels with an average capacity of 8,186 TEUs.